


I'll Get Back To You

by the_many_splendored



Category: Marriage Story (2019)
Genre: Charlie gets a therapist, Declarations Of Love, Drunken Kissing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Flashbacks, Light Angst, No adultery, Possibly Unrequited Love, Reader didn't have the clearest idea about love when she was young, Shameless Smut, the underage stuff is slight but still present
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:15:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23762161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_many_splendored/pseuds/the_many_splendored
Summary: The reader fully expects that her schoolgirl crush on Charlie Barber was never returned - and then she has to work with him again while he's getting divorced.
Relationships: Charlie Barber/Reader, Charlie Barber/You, Charlie/Nicole (Marriage Story)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 54





	I'll Get Back To You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cowboykylux](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cowboykylux/gifts), [IAmNotBread](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmNotBread/gifts).



**_12 years ago_ **

Charlie Barber, your theater director, is 22, tall, intense, particular – and you’re crazy about him. On the recommendation of your cousin Anthony, one of his regular troupe members at Exit Ghost, he cast you in his post-apocalyptic version of _Snow White and Rose Red_. Your part is minor, but Charlie directs with such passion that you know he’s trying to help everyone in the cast develop their craft. You don’t know if you’ll be an actor full-time; you’re only 17 and this is your first official part – but Charlie’s fervor is enough to make you believe that you have a chance at an artistic future. It also doesn’t hurt that when he’s in his element, he’s a very…physical director. You know he’s the same way with everyone in the show, but when he takes your chin during rehearsal one time to check your posture, you think you’ll faint. His hands are huge, but when he touches you, he’s gentle, like he’s handling a piece of china.

You’ve never had a problem with going after what you want, and after that rehearsal, you see your opportunity. Anthony is your ride home, but when he tells you it’s going to take a while to get a cab back from Charlie’s place, you don’t complain. In fact, as Anthony steps out into the hallway, you take your chance to retreat into Charlie’s apartment. The play will be hosted here, and with rehearsals, you’ve come to know the place as well as your own house. Now where could Charlie be…

You poke your head around the corner of the hallway, and in his kitchen, you see Charlie pulling a beer out of the fridge. You smile to yourself, and you start crossing the floor before he can fully form a sentence. “Hey kid, what’s- MMPH!” Wrapping your arms around his shoulders, you kiss him with all the strength you can muster.

You’re shocked when he physically pushes you away. You didn’t expect him to be harboring the _exact_ same feeling you have, but with the way he shoves you back, you can’t help but wondering – does he find you repulsive?

He sees the wounded look on your face, and he seems almost ashamed. He tilts your heads together so that your foreheads touch, and for a moment, the two of you just work to catch your breath. He recovers his speech first, but the only words he can manage are “I can’t…. kid, I _can’t_ ….”

“Don’t you like me?” you ask. “Charlie, don’t you like me at all?”

His thumb strokes over your cheek, and you’re reminded again how gentle he can be. “I do like you,” he says, “or I wouldn’t have cast you in my play.”

“Then show me,” you plead. “Charlie, I like you so much …please…”

“I **_can’t_** ,” he repeats, and the note of finality in his voice makes your heart twinge. “You’re so young…Anthony and your parents would kill me if I did anything, and I wouldn’t stop them.” His hands drop from your face, and you feel yourself curl inwards.

Intellectually, you know that he’s right. If he were the kind of person to dance on the edge of the law, he wouldn’t have claimed your heart. Charlie’s so inspiring, so handsome, so fucking **_good_** \- and you don’t want to ruin the man you love. You do love him, you’re suddenly sure, but you’re also equally sure that you’ll never tell him.

Still, your heart thrills when he says, “Listen, I was saving it as a surprise – but I checked with your folks, and they told me that the fifth night of the show run is gonna be your 18th birthday. We’ll have a big party after the show at McCormick’s, and I’ll get back to you on this conversation, ok?” You nod, and your head and heart start to settle back to Earth again.

* * *

Before the show on the night of your birthday, Anthony pulls you aside in a flurry of excitement. “Cuz, you’re never gonna believe this!”

“WHAT?” you ask in a harsh whisper. You’ve been looking forward to your birthday party for six weeks now and you can’t imagine anything being more important than that.

“Nicole Ryder is in the audience!” Anthony says delightedly, and when you realize who he means, you get as excited as he is.

“You mean the chick from _All Over The Girl_??” you ask. “What’s she doing here?” Your parents showed you the movie last year, and Nicole’s character Mira has been a hero of yours since then.

“I dunno,” Anthony admits, “but just don’t freak out about it, ok?”

“There will be no freaking out!” you promise.

In fact, with Nicole around, you find the whole cast elevates their performances beyond the usual excellence. The cues flow perfectly, and in his role as the Bear, Charlie is even more _masculine_ than usual, bringing this primal heat that you never knew was possible from the part. Yet, even for your delight at how well he’s doing, you can’t shake a feeling that he’s directing his parts to Nicole in particular…

At the end of the show, Nicole’s applause for the cast is the loudest in the room. The acknowledgement from someone who works in the business full-time is awesome, and you smile like a fool when she asks for you after the show. The two of you have a cheerful conversation for some time, which makes your disappointment that much more obvious when her eyes dart to Charlie. You really want to like this girl; you can’t start getting jealous!

Charlie promised, you remind yourself. He promised that tonight is your night and that you two can have a more serious conversation after the party – surely some doe-eyed starlet won’t distract him. Besides, you’re pretty sure that Nicole is engaged to someone, if the supermarket tabloids are to be believed.

* * *

Charlie never makes it to the bowling alley that night. You try not to worry, but when you arrive for call time for the next show, Nicole is sitting on Charlie’s couch as if she owns the place. That’s bad enough, but you feel an honest-to-God pain in your chest when Charlie walks in and doesn’t even acknowledge your presence. You retreat into a side room to start doing your make-up, but you have to catch your breath so that you don’t cry. Apparently, there are worse things than rejection, and being forgotten is one of them.

When Charlie proposes to Nicole around four months later - her 20th birthday, as it happens - you decide you’re quitting the troupe. You’re not obligated to stick around just because Charlie was the one to give you your first part, and if he’s marrying Nicole, it’s proof he’s not the guy you fell for. If he’d willingly admitted that he wasn’t into you, that might have been different, but cloaking it in some semblance of honor, especially when Nicole is only a year and a half older than you are, is bullshit. You’ll always care about him in some way, but New York is a big city. You’ll make your own career, goddammit. When invites for the wedding are sent out, you throw yours in the trash.

* * *

**_Present Day_ **

“…you’re fucking with me.”

“Cuz, I swear I’m not! Charlie asked for you specifically!” Anthony says.

You find that hard to believe. You haven’t been _stalking_ the Barbers’ careers, but it’s hard to avoid information about them when they make such a power couple on the New York theater scene. Nicole proved to be Charlie’s muse, and you can’t check the bulletins without finding some new announcement about an upcoming project of theirs or a notification about a new interview they’ve done. You know full well that Nicole is leaving Charlie’s production of _Electra_ , but that doesn’t mean that him requesting you to replace her for the move to Broadway makes any sense.

You never did become a _star_ , but as you’ve approached your 30th year, you can state that you’ve been having a lot of fun. You’ve been fortunate to dip your toes into almost everything you could ever want to try – more theater work, a few paintings you’re proud of, some singing engagements, a one-off modeling gig – hell, you even got to spend some time as the stage manager for an avant garde dance company. Sure, you’ve cried over Charlie a few times, especially after nursing a large whiskey, but you like your life! Why does he get to snap for your attention when he hasn’t spoken to you in at least ten fucking years?

You express as much to Anthony, who heard your many diatribes about the situation when you first were blindsided by Charlie and Nicole’s engagement. He’s understanding, but as he puts it: “If I didn’t think he was serious, I wouldn’t have called you. Would you be willing to at least do a reading?”

“As long as Nicole isn’t there to critique my performance, I guess…”

“Nah, she’s already in LA for her new project.” Anthony’s voice drops into a conspiratorial tone. “And between you and me, she’s not coming back. She and Charlie are splitting, and I’m pretty sure it’s for good.”

You’re glad you’re not in his presence, because you’re pretty sure your eyes are bugging out of your head. “Wait, WHAT? I haven’t heard any whispers of that at all!”

“Look, I work with both of them, cuz, I know these things.”

You sigh in frustration. “Then tell him I’ll read for it, but I can’t make any promises.”

* * *

You’ve arrived with Anthony for the audition, and you’re running lines with him and a few other people when you hear the door to the rehearsal space open. A familiar voice calls your name, and when you turn to look, your heart jumps into your throat.

You know from what magazines you’ve seen that Charlie has only grown better-looking with age, but there’s a difference between knowing beauty and being in its presence, especially when the source of that beauty is walking towards you with a dazzling smile on his face. “Hey, you – glad you could make it.” He kisses your cheek as he passes by, and you’re torn between contradicting feelings of lust and fury. You’re certain that this isn’t some sort of pass on his part; you’ve seen plenty of theater types do cheek kisses before, but the fact that even that small contact makes your knees shake makes you want to rage. _Well this is just fucking unfair! How come he gets to be casual and I feel like I’m 17 again??_ However, you pride yourself on your professionalism, and you’ll be damned if you let him see you sweat. Charlie settles in at his desk, and you get to work.

* * *

The audition is a success, and after you’re officially cast, you find it’s easy to fall back into the rhythm of rehearsal. Some of the old guard like Anthony is still around, and the newer members are a hoot, even if you’re sure Mary Ann is giving you dirty looks. There is a change though - with you now being the leading lady, you feel more infinitely more confident in talking to Charlie about acting and staging choices. The two of you don’t always agree, but you feel better able to stand up for your ideas, especially because you’ve found out how differently you’re performing the part than Nicole did.

However, that new repartee is only inflaming your old feelings. You wouldn’t dare make a move again, especially because you don’t know where Charlie and Nicole are in the divorce process, but to have someone you used to venerate acknowledge you as an equal? It’s fucking intoxicating.

Intoxication must be obvious to the people who know you, because Anthony warns you at the beginning of tech week that there’s a betting pool going around the company. “You’ve got that same look on your face that Mary Ann did before she and Charlie fucked, cuz. The gang is trying to figure out if you two have already messed around or if it’s imminent.”

Well, that would explain why Mary Ann doesn’t like you. “Shit. I don’t suppose people would believe the truth?”

Anthony shrugs. “Depends – what’s the truth?”

You sigh heavily. “If anything, I think Charlie is just being polite. He’s never been alone with me since the show started, and he’s not physical in his direction like he used to be. He treats me like a grown-up, and I appreciate it, but beyond that? I think the only feelings there are mine.”

He pats you on the shoulder in a supportive way and says, “I did wonder if you were falling back in love with him, but I didn’t put money down either way – he’s unreadable though.”

You snort. “Ain’t that the fuckin’ truth. Honestly, I’ll be glad when he goes to LA to visit Henry and Nicole this weekend, I might be able to get my head on straight.”

* * *

The revival of _Electra_ opens to rave reviews, but Charlie can’t seem to match the same celebratory mood that you and the rest of the company have. You don’t know what happened in LA with Nicole, but Charlie seems…broken. Your usual quips to him are met with stony silence, and his notes after each show aren’t making sense – some of the cast members have actually turned to _you_ for recommendations of what to do next.

About three weeks after the show run starts, you decide to take matters into your own hands. When Charlie finishes giving notes, you tell everyone, “Ok, we haven’t had a proper house party since this whole thing started – you’re all invited to my place with whatever bottles or food you can bring. Sound good?” You hear murmurs of approval, and even Charlie agrees. _Good_ , you think to yourself, _he needs the break or I would have thrown him in a cab to my place myself_. Sure enough, once everyone arrives and the food and drinks start getting passed around, you can tell Charlie is loosening up. Add some good music to the mix, and the mood of the party goes from nice enough to positively effervescent.

You pride yourself on having a varied playlist, but you always include a few favorites in party mixes, and when one of those favorites comes on, you can’t help the way your body rolls to the low bass line. Others must feel the same way, because two other women from the company are almost immediately at your side trying to copy your moves. The three of you aren’t exactly pop divas, and you can’t help but laugh at how silly you all must look.

Your laughter fades out when you feel someone move in behind you. Your eyes scan the room, and you don’t see your director anywhere which means, “…Charlie,” you whisper, “what the hell are you doing?”

“Just dancing with you, is that a crime?” His voice is slightly sloppy, and you wonder how many beers he’s had. The two other girls back off and you can’t help but feel exposed when he loops his arm around your waist. He’s right though – it’s not a crime. Hell, it feels nice, sexy even. You haven’t been touched by _anyone_ in about a year and having a handsome man close like this is wonderful.

However, that doesn’t excuse what he does next. As the song ends, he whirls you around into a bruising kiss, and what should have been amazing makes you furious. You push him away and slap him across the face. You want to yell at him that he doesn’t get to kiss people out of nowhere, but you’re already feeling embarrassed enough by the money you see changing hands. Instead, you fix him with the iciest glare you can manage.

* * *

About two months after the party, word gets around that Charlie and Nicole have finalized their divorce. When Charlie returns to New York, you don't pester him about it, but you can tell he’s doing better. He’s more engaged, not just with you, but with the rest of the company as well. He's brimming with new ideas, and with you at his side, he's come up with more plans for the upcoming play season - including, to your surprise and delight, a revival of _Snow White and Rose Red_. He'll still play the bear, but he's asked you to stay on as Snow White. You gladly agree, and you find yourself getting your own rush of creative energy as you start spitballing ideas with him.

However, the tension is still there if you're not mistaken. Charlie's more willing to touch you now, even if it's just for a hug, but sometimes when you want to ask him something important, he seems to retreat into himself again. He’s taken you out for meals once or twice but hasn’t made any moves otherwise.

On the second day after you and Charlie announce the _Snow White_ revival to the company, he shows up at your house in the middle of a sunny afternoon. "Charlie?” you ask. “I didn't think we were having a meeting today; is something wrong?"

He shakes his head, and you can't tell if he's smiling or if it's just a spasm of his lips. "Nothing wrong; just wanted to talk to ya."

"...ok, then."

You invite him inside and the two of you chat about small nothings for a while. However, you’re startled when Charlie says suddenly, "I owe you an apology!"

You cock your head to the side in confusion. "An apology? Why?"

He takes your free hand and runs his thumb over your knuckle. "For how I acted at the party, mostly."

You don't mind him being penitential, but you're still confused. "Charlie, that was ages ago. I was upset about it, sure, but I realized later, I was more worried than anything else – you didn’t seem like yourself." He's still stroking your hand, you notice.

"But that's just it - I _was_ acting like myself, or at least....ugh, it's so fuckin' tough to explain..." You can believe that he’s having difficulties. The look on his face is one you've only seen a few times, but it's always when something in the show isn't clicking for him.

"Ok then,” you say soothingly. “Start from the beginning." You flip your hand over; this way you can properly squeeze his.

He nods. "You know I had to go to LA to get things settled in court with Nicole for custody and such, yeah?" You nod back and he continues. "Well…it got ugly. She was over at my place to see how I had things set up, and one comment led to another, and we had the worst fight of all the time we've known each other."

You wince. "That sounds...wretched." You’ve only seen Charlie truly angry once, back during the first run of _Snow White_ , and it was terrifying. If Nicole could go toe to toe with him, you’re surprised Charlie’s LA neighbors didn’t call the cops.

"It was, and we both brought up things that were hurtful, even if they were true...especially if they were true, if I’m being honest. But I absolutely lost it when she said...God, how did she put it? She said ‘You never loved me as much as I loved you! You always saved room in your heart for that kid from _Snow White_!’"

You blink hard a few times and take your hand away. "WAIT,” you say. “Wait wait wait. Nicole thought you were in love with me??" You shake your head. "Surely she knew that you never felt the same way I did - hell, before you asked me to join _Electra_ , I thought…" You’ve never actually said the next part out loud to him, and you try to speak plainly. “I thought you’d forgotten my existence.”

"And that's what I tried to tell her!" Charlie protests. "Hell, I needed to prove it to myself - not that I’d forgotten you, but that whatever happened during _Snow White_ , we'd both moved on with our lives and we could be professional together.” He sees you look uncertain and says, “You've been great about that, but I decided I couldn't let myself get too close, even with you starting to take over some co-director duties."

You laugh sadly. "You froze me out, Charlie. It didn't feel _that_ professional."

"I know, and I overcompensated when you invited me over here for the party. I decided I was gonna cut loose, and then when you and the others started dancing, my beer brain said to me, "‘Hey, it's just a dance, nothing wrong with a dance!’"

"Then why did you kiss me, if all you wanted was a dance?" You’ve gotten carried away drinking before yourself, but you’ve never kissed someone you wouldn’t have kissed anyway.

"I was being drunk and selfish," Charlie admits. "Selfishness was the big thing that Nicole accused me of, and if I couldn’t tell you weren’t up for things, she was right."

You’d be lying if you haven’t seen him force his will on others before, but you can tell that saying so right now won’t be helpful. Instead you ask, “Do you _feel_ selfish?”

He drums his fingers on your kitchen counter that he’s been leaning on. “At first, I was scared shitless. You know how you said you worried I’d forgotten about you? I got flashes of that after the party. I had this thought of ‘Holy shit, she’s never gonna speak to me again’ and I was almost sick.”

You remember that feeling, and you wouldn’t wish it on anyone. “Did you tell anyone else about this?”

“Yeah, I actually had my first appointment with a therapist a few days after the party.” He sees you smile in relief and says, “Yeah, yeah, I know; it was probably the obvious thing to do, but I probably should have gone years ago. Anyway, it’s not a silver bullet, but he’s been helping me recognize when I’m being unfair and what triggers my anger.”

“That’s…really fantastic, Charlie. I’m proud of you.” You mean it – you’ve only mentioned it to a few people, but you’ve been to a counselor a few times over the years in times of crisis, and you know that making that first appointment is always hard.

He lets out a genuine chuckle, and you realize you haven’t seen him smile this way in ages. “Ya know another thing I realized talking to this guy? I like being able to make someone proud, especially if that’s you.”

You lean against his shoulder. “Charlie, if you’re feeling better, _that’s_ what makes me proud. I cared about you when I was a kid, sure, but honestly, I think I like the new you even better.”

“And I think I like every version of you there’s ever been,” Charlie says. “Come with me?”

He takes your hands and guides you to your couch. You would be content to just sit with him, but he pulls you into his lap and the realization that he could genuinely _want_ you hits you in a wave. With a gentle touch, he pushes a strand of hair behind your ear. Your breath catches, and he smiles, he truly smiles, when he says, "Fuck, I really want to kiss you. Can I?"

You're afraid if you try to speak that you'll squeak out your words, so you nod instead. His hand curls around the back of your neck, and his kiss is tender, not sloppy and almost painful like it was at the party. Charlie's mouth feels amazing, and you've been so touch-starved that you can tell you're already wet, but you don't want to jump the gun. If this is all it's going to be, you'll take care of your own pleasure later.

Thankfully, Charlie knows what he wants, and he starts to roll your bottom lip between his teeth. You groan slightly, and when he bites down a little harder, it’s enough to make you squeak like you’d been hoping to avoid. "Ch- Cha-" you can't get the words out, and he stops to check on you. When you nod that you're ok, you find yourself underneath him, your hands pinned above your head.

He still doesn't say anything, but the lust in his eyes is obvious, and his chest is starting to heave. Seeing your mighty director starting to come undone makes your next course of action easy. Charlie's partially lying on top on you in this position, and his leg is almost flush with your crotch. You roll your hips, and the friction is so FUCKING delicious that you want to scream. When Charlie realizes what you're doing, he lets out a shaky laugh. "Is that how it's going to be?"

"Charlie, please, it feels too good..." You don't like the way you’re pleading, but it seems to only make Charlie more affectionate. He hugs you tight and kisses your forehead, your eyelids, your cheeks, your lips...

"I'll make you feel even better, honey, I promise....let me take you upstairs?"

"Yeah" you manage to breathe, and Charlie takes you by the hand to your bedroom.

Once you're upstairs, Charlie lies down on his back and positions you so you can straddle his hips. "I think this is going to work better, honey, don't you?"

"Uh-huh..." You roll your hips again, and he's right, this angle makes the friction on your clit so beautiful and harsh that you could cry. "Charlie, oh god, please..."

"What do you want, doll? Gotta use your words...." That breathy edge to his voice is getting more pronounced. "You gotta tell me what you need...."

"I....oh fuck...I need you to touch me...." you beg.

"Like this?" he asks, and you feel his hand go under your shirt to cup your breast. "Or like this?" His other hand snakes between you, and you nearly howl when his fingers are that close to you, even through your clothes.

"Charlie, please, I want you to make me come, I don't care how you do it!"

"That's my girl....get undressed and I'll make you feel good, I promise." You're normally a bit shy about undressing in front of a partner, but right now, you don’t give a damn about modesty. Your shirt and bra are gone in a flash, and Charlie helps you get out of your pants and underwear for good measure. He has you lie back down, and he undresses himself. God, he's magnificent. He's half-hard, and before you can reach out to touch his cock, he takes your hand and kisses the palm. "I said I'll take care of ya, didn't I?"

"You did..." You stroke your fingers along his collarbone. "But I want you to feel good too...."

"Trust me, I'll manage," he says, and he gives you a quick kiss before he puts a hand between your legs. "If I do something wrong, tell me, yeah?"

"Yeah...oh FUCK!" Charlie brushes his thumb over your clit and you nearly black out. "Charlie, you've gotta do something else down there, I'm so fuckin' sensitive..."

He looks genuinely apologetic as he leaves your clit alone and opts to stick a finger inside of you. "I'm sorry, honey - has it always been like that? You seem pretty tight..."

"It's not your fault - I just haven't....shit, I haven't been intimate with anyone for about eighteen months."

"No wonder..." Charlie leans over and kisses your cheek. "My poor girl, you've been neglected..."

"I take care of myself just fine!" you protest.

"I'm sure you do, honey....but I bet I can still help." He curls his finger inside you, and while you jolt, it's because the feeling is oddly soothing, instead of the painful pleasure that would come from your clit right now. "See?"

Your eyes flutter, and you manage a weak smile. "That's...ugh, that's really nice...don't stop..."

"I won't - but nice isn't what makes you come, I'm guessing?" He kisses your cheek again. "Does my girl think she can take two fingers...or maybe my cock?"

"I can try...." You really do want Charlie to fuck you silly, but given how long it's been since you've had sex, you hope your body won't betray you. 

"Ok, I've got ya-" he says, and he helps you to your feet and has you bend over the bed. "We're gonna try it like this so I can see what angle works."

"Yeah, sounds good." You feel his hand on your back and you sigh contentedly. "Just tell me what you're doing back there..."

"Of course. We're gonna start with the fingers, ok?" He uses his thumb to find your entrance again and slips in the first finger that felt so nice before. You let out a contented hum, especially when he gently rotates his finger inside of you. "Ok, that seems easy - here comes the next one." You feel a more pronounced stretch this time, and the noise that comes out of your mouth is more strangled than before. "You still ok?"

"Yeah, I'm good, just...hold them there for a second?" He obliges, and you take a moment to catch your breath. This is closer to the feeling of fullness you had in mind, and you want to laugh in surprise. Is Charlie Barber actually finger-fucking you, or is this a dream?

You wiggle your hips slightly, and that bit of movement is positively divine. You groan, and Charlie takes the hint, starting to push his fingers in and out of you in a sturdier rhythm. His free hand curls possessively around your hip, and he practically pulls you onto his hand. The pace is wonderful, and you're not surprised when you hear Charlie say, "God, you're so wet, you've been starving for this, haven't you?"

"Yeah I have - oh god..." He's doing the rotation thing with his fingers again and you're starting to see stars.

"You should have a line of guys wanting to make love to you; it’s so unfair that a gorgeous girl like you has been neglected." His fingers pull out and he leans over to kiss your shoulder blade. “I want to get inside you, honey, are you up for that?”

"YES...for fuck's sake, just fuck me already!” you say. You appreciate that he’s being careful, but if you don’t feel his cock soon, you might just burst into tears.

It takes a moment for him to adjust and line up, but when he sinks into you, you feel it all the way through to your cervix. "Holy shit..." he murmurs behind you. "...you feel like magic..."

He's no pushover himself, you think. With him entering you from behind, the curve of his cock is just enough to rub on the sensitive parts of your walls. and when he starts to move? Oh fuck, you don't want it to end, even if it means you can’t come just yet.

Charlie seems to be finding that middle ground between fucking and making love - once you're used to him, his pace is brutal, but he can't stop whispering filthy beautiful things in your ear. "Honey, I should have done this years ago, you feel so good....I'd wondered for a long time....I adore you, your face, your eyes, your voice when you moan...."

Suddenly he says, "Honey, I want us both to come, and I want to see your face. Turn around for me?" You nod and though you whine when he gets out of you, the sight when you turn around is delicious. He's not entirely flushed, but there's a sheen of sweat over his body, and his eyes are bright, almost as if he were drunk. His hair's a mess, and you playfully ruffle it before he takes your legs and hikes them around his hips. With a hiss, he pushes back inside you and sets up a brutal pace that makes you scream his name.

"CHARLIE! Charlie, oh fuck, please, faster!" You can feel how close you are, and if the way he's twitching inside you is any indication, he's close too. He looks like he's trying to say something, but you can't tell what it is as you hear the blood pounding in your ears. "Charlie, please!" He takes pity on you and reaches down between you to stroke your clit. "Oh god," you moan, the pressure mounting higher and higher.

This time, you hear him loud and clear when he says, "Come for me, honey - I love you, I need you to come for me!" He sounds as desperate as you feel, and the edge in his voice is what puts you over the top. You come hard with a wail, and as you start to come down, you feel Charlie still hard. On a hunch, you reach up and hold his cheek.

"I love you too, Charlie....come for me." He lets out an animalistic groan and he nearly collapses on top of you as he comes inside of you. You're both quiet for a moment, but you don't mind how he strokes your hair as you both catch your breath.

He joins you on the bed and pulls you into his arms. After a minute, he says, "I meant it, you know...I do love you. I think I always have. I want to make you so happy, if you’ll let me."

You smile and turn his face to yours. "I loved you first, hot-shot."

He kisses your nose, and you feel your heart surge. "I guess this counts as us finally having that conversation, huh?"

You laugh - you'd honestly forgotten about him promising that all those years ago. "Ha! I guess it does."


End file.
